A real sizzler...

Crystal Palace 0 v 0 Everton
Friendly - Selhurst Park. Att: 10,010
Saturday, 4th August 2007

Despite a lack of goals it was a good game as together, fans and players alike, get ready for the season to come. The game marked the return to Selhurst Park of favourite Andy Johnson who played for 80 minutes. He had a raptuous reception and was given a standing ovation at the end of the game. Fans respect the fact that having been relegated from the Premier League he remained a Palace player for a further season and only then left. The £8m he cost Everton was good business for us.

Neither side tested the other's goalkeeper to any great extent although Everton did hit the bar twice in the first half. Overall, the Palace defence seemed to hold firm and the three central defenders who played in the games, Cort, Hudson and Fonte, seemed quite accomplished both on the ball and in the air.

Everton had quite a lot of the ball but didn't create as one would have hoped if you were them. Johnson didn't have a chance in the 80 minutes he played and although Palace were no better I think Everton had more to worry about.

The big question as the season is about to get under way is where the goals are going to come from. Morrison and Scowcroft looked good as a partnership in the first half, better than Freedman and Kuqi in the second. The big factor that is lacking is pace and that could be costly.

Temperatures got up to into the 80s and the sun shone brightly in a cloudless sky as summer arrived at last, just in time for the new football season!